World of NB
-Hajimeru-
-Hajimeru-
A loud scream echoed through the forest. Panting, footsteps, more screams. The leaves under her feet crackled and the branches snapped as she pushed them out of her way. Nothing else mattered except getting away from the thing behind her. She screamed, although she knew nobody would hear her.
???: You can run but you can?t hide!
Heart pounding, she ran faster. There was nothing else she could do.
???: You fell right into my trap. What a stupid human.
The running stopped, and a loud thud was heard. For a moment, the forest was silent, until an ear-splitting shriek disturbed the peace.
---Back at the campground---
Su was chewing her lip. Where was she? Surely she should have been back by now. She spaced out and didn?t notice the shiny purple ball coming towards her until it hit her on the head. A sigh escaped someone?s lips.
Shizune: Stop worrying! They probably just got lost in the woods somewhere. I?m sure they?re fine.
Su nodded and picked up the ball. She hoped what Shizune said was true.
-----Somewhere in the forest---
???: You humans are so easy to catch, it?s almost like a game of cat and mouse.
He stood over the small girl lying on the forest floor, who was clutching her wrist. His black wings were unfolded, blocking out the moon and casting great shadows over the forest floor. He gave a chilling laugh and drew his sword.
???: If I had any feelings left, I would feel sorry for what I?m about to do.
He brought the sword down on the girl?s arm, creating a cut from her shoulder to her elbow. Screams echoed through the forest, unheard.
???: You really shouldn?t have followed me. Maybe you would have lived to see the light of day again.
A second cut on her other arm. A third on her cheek.
???: Poor little Carlie-chan. I bet everyone will miss you. Once you die in the game, you die for real.
He continued to mock her, cutting her with his sword every few seconds. She was sobbing now, not because of the pain, but because she might never see her friends and family ever again.
---Back at the Camp---
Su was seriously worried now. She could feel the aura of worry settling over the camp. She looked over the camp to see Shizune shaking her hand in front of Shade?s face, who was staring blankly into the fire.
Shizune: Shade. Shade! Shade?! Is anyone there? Great, he?s having another vision.
She sighed and sat down beside him. Everyone was soon crowded around them, waiting to see what new vision Shade had. A few minutes later, he blinked and rapidly stood up.
Keotsu: What did you see this time?
Shade: It?s Carlie.
Su?s ears perked up at the mention of her friend?s name. She walked to where Shade was.
Su: What about her!?
Shade: I-I don?t know...the vision was too-
Su: I DON?T CARE ABOUT THE VISION! What?s wrong with Carlie?
Shade: She?s in trouble. Something?s about to kill her.
Without another word, Su picked up her bags and ran into the forest. The rest of the group sighed and began picking up their belongings too.
Shizuka: Ichi, go wake up Chii and Roku. We have a new mission.
---Back in the forest---
Carlie: W-why are y-you doing this Mizu?
His hollow laughs sent chills down Carlie?s spine.
Mizu: You stupid humans kills my best friend, and for that you?ll pay! Lord Kalona said he?d bring him back to life if I killed all of you trash!
Another cut appeared on her stomach. She coughed up blood.
Mizu: You?ll pay! He didn?t deserve to die! Lord Kalona will bring him back!
He raised his sword to deal the final blow. A necklace around his neck that Carlie had not noticed before began glowing a bloody red.
Carlie: [Thinking] I?m not going to go down this easily. This life is mine and I will not lose it like this!
She stood up, shaking and bleeding a fountain of red that covered the forest floor.
Mizu: Oh look, the little powerless human girl is going to try defend herself against me. How pathetic.
He brought his black sword down on her shoulder, expecting blood to spurt out of the girl?s body. Instead, his sword bounced off her shoulder and clattered to the ground. A sphere of magic formed around her. It shined as bright as the sun in the still night. He smirked.
Mizu: You think you can defeat me using that simple defence? Ha!
He cast a spell-breaking charm on her shield that he was sure should have crippled her defence and rendered her useless. The spell bounced right off the wall. His emotionless face showed no anger, but Carlie could sense it deep inside him.
Carlie: Attempt to touch me once more time and I?ll break every bone in your body.
She snarled it in a way that reminded him of a vicious lioness. She was not
Carlie anymore. Her face lost all kindness from it, and turned into one of anger. He could see that she wanted to kill him.
Mizu: You think you can defeat me? How foolish.
He raised his hand and his own magic formed a shield around him. It was an inky black that lost all its shine, not like Su?s midnight black magic that reflected light and threw it everywhere.
Carlie: You?ll be sorry you ever provoked me.
The black and white magic collided, sending waves of invisible Mana through the air.
---Somewhere up a tree near Carlie and Mizu---
???: Kalona-sama, what happened to that girl? One minute she was crying like a baby and the next she?s this bloodthirsty girl.
Kalona: It seems she developed a second personality when she came to NB. But there?s no need to worry, she?s still weak and untrained.
The beautiful man smiled at the woman. She nodded back, her beach-blonde hair bouncing. The short skirt she was wearing was visibly tearing because of the rough bark of the tree. Her tight corset made her breaths come out in short little pants.
???: Shall I go take care of her, Kalona-sama?
Kalona: Let Mizutoki have his fun for now, Alice.
She nodded to the black silhouette leaning against the tree trunk. He seemed to blend in with the night, and the only visible part of him was the glowing red necklace he clutched in his hand. Alice smiled an evil smile and she watched Carlie and Mizu fight, because she knew it was her job to kill the rest.
---With Su and the group---
Shizune: Did you guys hear that?
Another loud crash echoed through the forest.
Su: [Thinking] Damn, this is getting us nowhere! This forest is too big...by the time we find her, Carlie might be dead!
Shizuka seemed to read her mind.
Shizuka: Keotsu, can you make up a plan to find her in under a minute?
Keotsu thought for a few seconds then started shouting commands to everyone.
Keotsu: Grimm and Roku: Fly around this part of the forest to see if you can find them from above! Shizune and Shizuka: Cast a searching spell and see if you can find anyone within this range besides Carlie and Mizu! Sakura, Shade and Train stay behind and search for any other enemies! The rest of you, go try and find whatever got Carlie!
Everyone scattered to do their jobs and all Su could do was hope Carlie was okay.
---With Carlie and Mizu---
The battle was no longer fought with long, complicated spells. They had now opted for small spells that were no longer than a few words.
Slash. Defend. Wrap around and destroy. Pull it away.
Mizu: Your strength amazes me, Carlie. How did you grow so fast?
Carlie: I am no longer Carlie. She has fallen to me due to her weakness. I am Juuri, her inner self. I will not hesitate to kill you given the chance.
Grab and suffocate. Push away. Cut it off. Stop it.
Kill him.
The simple command escaped her lips in a soft whisper. The magic formed itself into a giant scythe that would surely slice him in half, no matter how much defence he surrounded himself with.
Suddenly, she yelled in pain and sank to her knees. Her breath came out in short gasps and she began talking out loud, arguing with nobody.
Juuri: Stop it you idiot! Can?t you see I have him cornered! Let me kill him! I don?t care how much you don?t want me to kill him!
She screamed once again, and the scythe fell.
A single voice screamed out into the night.
---With Su and the group---
The group ran toward the screams they heard. Su was the first to see them. The magic had blow or sliced apart the all trees within a 10 meter radius. She looked around frantically. A giant scythe made with Carlie?s shining white magic lay on the ground beside Mizu?s body. It had narrowly missed slicing him in half. There was a long and jagged cut down his chest that bled what looked like a waterfall of blood. The magic disappeared and the light in the clearing was lost. Mizu swore loudly and stood up. He took off on one foot and flew away into the night.
The others finally came behind Su. Roku was the first to spot Carlie and ran over to her body. He motioned for the others to come over. Most looked away when they first saw her. Her body was covered in slashes that were bleeding, she was deathly pale and her heart was barely breathing.
Roku: Shizune, can you heal this?
Shizune shook her head sadly.
Shizune: This is out of my hands. She needs an experienced healer.
Roku: Chii, how much time does she have?
Chii: 4 hours...
Roku sighed and picked Carlie up.
Roku: We don?t have much time. I know a healer that?s 3 hours away from here by flight. If I hurry, she might make it. The rest of you hang around and see if you can find Mizutoki again. If you can?t find anything, I'll call Chii and tell you where I am. Come after me.
Su: Wait! Take me with you! Please!
Roku shook his head.
Roku: Stay here and help the others. You?ll like it more if you can find out where Mizutoki is so you can fight him for hurting Carlie.
He took off without another word.
---With Mizu---
Mizu: [Thinking] Dammit! Now Lord Kalona will never bring him back...
He stopped in front of a cottage in the woods. He had cast several healing spells on himself along the way, and he felt like he was about to collapse. The door opened before he
touched it. He heard a mean laugh behind him and rolled his eyes.
Mizu: What do you want, Alice?
Alice: I find it quite funny how you failed to defeat someone so weak! I?m sure even someone missing an arm would be able to defeat her!
Mizu: Shut up Alice.
Kalona: Now, now Mizutoki. Is that the nice way to talk to your sister?
Mizu gasped and bowed down on one knee. Kalona was hidden in the shadows, the glowing red necklace still visible.
Mizu: My deepest apologies, Alice-niisama.
Alice: Whatever. As long as I get to deal your punishment I?m happy.
Mizu: Punishment...?
Kalona: You failed to do your mission, and for that you will be punished. Unless you?d rather I took away your powers and kicked you out...?
Mizu?s eyes went wide. Kalona had never spoken to him like this before.
Mizu: Yes, father.
Kalona: You were always obedient. Alice, take him away.
She smirked wickedly and nodded her head.
Alice: Right away, father.
She yanked Mizu up by his wrist. After chanting a quick spell, a portal opened. She pushed Mizu in, winked at Kalona, and stepped in the portal. Kalona smiled sadistically and stepped through the portal.
---With Roku and Carlie---
Roku: [Thinking] She hasn?t got much left...
He spotted the place he had been looking for and landed on the ground. He knocked on the door twice and waited. The door opened a tiny bit, and someone?s eye peeked out.
???: Roku? What do you want?
Roku: I have no time to talk, Lawl. This girl is hurt and she needs immediate medical care.
Lawl: Fine... bring her in. But you owe me one.
The door opened and Roku walked in. The inside looked like any normal cottage. He followed Lawl through the cottage to a healing room. He set Carlie down on a mat and kneeled beside her.
Roku: Will she make it?
Lawl: She?s pretty beat up, but she can make it. You?re lucky you got her to me on time. Why do you care anyways?
Roku: Because I?m afraid her friend will stab me in my sleep if I let her die.
Lawl chuckled and began cleaning the wounds. Roku leaned on the wall and waited.
---With Mizu and Alice---
As the portal closed, Mizu found himself in an ancient-looking room with a four poster bed and various potion ingredients around the perimeter. He realized this was Alice?s old room, before she had been promoted. Alice walked over to the bed and sat on it.
Alice: Now how should I punish you today? Should I cut off one of your limbs? No, no too messy to clean up afterwards. Wait...I got it!
She laughed maniacally as Mizu looked at her in disgust. Despite his sister's wretched nature she was beautiful. How ironic.
Mizu: Hurry up and just get it over with already.
Alice: Why so eager for your punishment today Onii-chan?
He scoffed and turned his head the other way.
Mizu: I just don't want to hear your annoying voice all day.
Alice: How rude of you to say that to your own little sister!
The blonde smirked as she tapped Mizu on the forehead playfully. His eyes opened wide in shock before falling unconscious.
Alice: Have a nice dream Onii-chan~
--To Su--
Su sat quietly on a boulder skipping rocks into a pond, trying to clear her mind of worry.
Shizuka: Maybe you should do something other than moping around.
The girl slowly turned her head around to glance at where the voice came from and sighed.
Su: Like what?
Shizuka: Well, get stronger and train for one thing. I guess I could help you on that...
Su's eyes lit up and sparkled while the black mage started backing away from the girl.
Su: Can you really Shizuka!!!!?!?!?!
Shizuka: Y-yes...
GLOMP!
Su: YAY!!!!! Thank you so much Shizuka-sensei!!!
Shizuka sighed. Su was an energetic one.
Shizuka: But before you actually become my student you have to pass my test.
Su: W-wait like a written exam?
Shizuka: Nah, more like a survival test.
Su gulped. She was going to die. For sure.
Shizuka: Anyways, since you don't know much spells I'll teach you some before the test. Ready?
Su: Ready as I'll ever be!
Shizuka: Then let's start.
--To Carlie--
Lawl: She's opening her eyes.
Carlie lay on the bed with bandages all over her body, aching everywhere. She suddenly stood up, not knowing where she was.
Carlie: MIZU!?!? Ow!!
Roku smacked her in the head lightly and shook his head.
Roku: I don't want to injure you more....or Su will murder me. Get back to sleep, you?re safe now ^^.
Carlie reluctantly crawled back to bed and yawned.
Carlie: Fine, but you'll be answering a lot of questions when I wake up.
Roku: I'll manage somehow ^^"
Lawl: My, her wounds were critical. For a newbie she's pretty lucky to have survived this. What exactly happened?
Roku: I don't really know for sure...maybe the others know. Let me call them.
Roku tapped his ocean blue necklace and it started glowing.
Roku: Chii! CHII! CHII PICK UP DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!
---Meanwhile---
Chii: Huh..? Is someone calling me?
The shinigami drew her hot pink pendant out of her pocket and tapped it.
Chii: Hello~?
Roku: WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!?!
Chii: Oh... I turned it off for a while. I didn't want to waste its batteries and stop shouting at me. :<
Roku: Okay okay, I'm sorry. I just wanted to tell you that Carlie is fine and you guys can visit her if you like.
Chii: Alright we'll be right there! Where are you?
Roku:...Lawl?s cabin.
Sh!t. She couldn't go there. Not again. Or ever. That place reminded her too much of someone... But she couldn?t quite put her finger on who.
Chii: Um....maybe I'll catch up with you guys later. I'll tell the others. Bye!
Click!
The angel sighed and put away his necklace in his pouch.
Roku: I guess she still doesn?t like coming here.
